Motor-vehicle



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

H. R. BIRD. MOTOR VEHICLE.

No. 585,251. Patented June 29,1897.

Witnesses.

inventor.

Attorney.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

H. R. BIRD. MOTOR VEHICLE.'

No. 585,251. Patented June 29, 1897.

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llnrrnn STATES HENRY R. BIRD, OF BUFFALO, NEV YORK.

MOTOR-VEHIC LE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 585,251, dated June29., 1897. Application led January 4, 1896. Serial No. 574,343. (Nomodel.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY R. BIRD, a citi zen of the United States,residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Motor-Vehicles and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings,and to gures of reference marked thereon, whichform a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in apparatus for propellingvehicles, its object being to provide a construction applicable to therunning-gear of a vehicle, which primarily avoids a complexity ofoperative parts and which incidentally involves cheapness ofconstruction and simple and easy control of operation.

To these ends my invention consists in the specific details ofconstructiomas hereinafter more fully described and claimed and asillustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherern Figure 1 is a sideelevation of my improved i motor-vehicle with the left side wheelsremoved. Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the running-gear and operativeparts with the body removed. Fig. 8 is a detached under side view of thesteering-gear- Fig. l is a detached and enlarged side elevation of theimproved means for adjusting the position of the driven shaft. Fig. 5 isa section taken in the linex of Fig. 2, and Fig. 6 is a face view of therecessed friction-disk.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that I have constructed mymain framework preferably of piping, of which 1 and 2 are the sidepieces and 3 and i are the front and rear cross-pieces, respectively.The rear axle 5 rests within the rear cross-piece 4 and carries the rearsprings 6 6 and the rear drivingwheels 7 7, having the hubs S 8, uponthe inside ends of which are rigidly mounted the sprocket-wheels 9 9.

The engine may be of any kind suitable for the purpose, the one shown inthe drawings being a gas-engine of familiar type mounted Vupon the rearcross-piece 4, the intermediate transverse cross-piece 10, and the twoshort intermediate longitudinal cross-pieces l1 11.

is the driving-shaft, its rear portion carrying the fly-wheel 14 andhaving its extreme projecting end 15 squared for the reception of acrank for turning the same to start the engine. Upon the forward end ofthe drivingshaft- 13 is rigidly secured the friction-disk 16, its flator contacting face 17 being centrally recessed, as at 18, for a purposewhich will be hereinafter explained.

19 is the driven shaft, mounted in the bearings 20 20, carried upon theupper ends of the short posts 21, (see Fig. 4,) which are pivoted attheir lower ends to the collars 22, which surround and are secured tothe side pieces 1 and 2 of the framework.

23 23 are rods which pass loosely through the posts 21. One'end of theserods is provided with a disk-head 24, between which'and the post 21 isinterposed a spiral spring 25. The opposite ends of these rods passloosely through sockets 26 in the upper ends of the second set ofvertical posts 27, which are rigidly secured to the side pieces 1 and 2of the framework. Thumb-nuts 2S are in engagement with theirscrew-threaded ends for holding them in position and regulating theposition of the driven shaft, carrying the frictionwheel 30, to effect aproper frictional contact between it and the friction-disk. Thefriction-wheel 30 is feathered loosely upon the driven shaft 19. Theposition of this frictionwheel 30 is adjusted along the driven shaft 19with respect to its point of contact with the disk 16 in the followingmanner:

3l is a rack-bar held in sliding contact with a channeled cross-piece32, extending transversely across the framework, its ends being rigidlysecured to the cross-pieces 1 and 2. The inner end of this rackwbar 31has two rigid rearward]y-extending arms 33 33, provided with end collars34 84, which loosely surround the driven shaft 19 upon each side of thefriction-wheel 30, these sockets being of sufficient inner dimensions toallow for the play of the driven shaft in its pivoted springpressedbearings 20.

The rack-bar 31 is actuated in shifting the position of thefriction-wheel 30 by the segmental gear-wheel 35, mounted upon a bracket36, secured to the framework.

Of this engine 12 12 are the cylinders, and -13 IOO 4 37 is a verticalaxle rigidly secured to the segmental gear-Wheel 35. It extends upthrough the floor 38 of the vehicle, and is provided at its upper endwith the crank-handle 39, Within easy reach of the operator at one sideof the vehicle and just forward of the front seat 40. The segmentalgear-Wheel 35 can be locked in any position desired to hold thefriction-wheel 30 by any suitable means, but I prefer the device hereinshown, which consists of a ratchet-wheel 4l, rigid with the axle 37 andjust underneath the floor 38. A spring-pressed pin 42, passing4 throughthe floor, normally engages with the ratchetwheel 4l and locks thefriction-Wheel 30. To temporarily release the pin 42, so that thecrank-handle 39 may be turned in either direction, the hand-lever 43 ispressed in,vvhich, by means of rods 44 and 45 and bell-crank lever 46,connecting with the spring-pressed pin 42, enables the operator to throwsuch pin out of engagement with the ratchet-wheel 4l, when thecrank-handle 43 is free to be turned in either direction.

The front or gu-iding Wheels 47 are preferably mounted upon a short axle48, which is pivoted in the front end of a forwardly-extending arm 49,secured centrally to the forward cross-piece 3 of the framework.

50 50 are the springs, the lower portions of which are secured to theaxle 4S, their upper portions being secured to the frame carrying thefifth-Wheel 5l, which is provided upon its outer periphery with theteeth or cogs v52. A small gear-wheel 53 is mounted, under the fioor 3S,upon the aXle 54, which extends up through the iioor just back of thedashboard 55, and is provided at its upper end With the hand-wheel 56for turning same. Another small intermediate gear-Wheel 57 intermesheswith the gear-Wheel 53 and the toothed fifth-Wheel 51, which permits theguiding- Wheels 47 47 to turn in the same direction as the hand-Wheel56. A spring-pressed pin 58, passing loosely through the iioor 38, isoperated by the foot to engage and disengage the gear-Wheel 53 inlocking or unlocking the steering device.

63 63 are spiral springs, their forward ends being secured to theopposite side edges of the toothed fifth-Wheel 5l and their rear endssecured to the opposite side edges of the gear- Wheel 53.

59 is abrake operated through intervening parts by the foot-lever CO.

The water and gas tanks and the muffler can all be placed in the spacebelow the front seat 40 and back seat 61.

In operation ,the gas-engine is started by lirst turning the projectingend 15 of the driving-shaft 13 with a crank. This causes thefriction-disk 16 to revolve, which imparts its rotary motion to thefriction-wheel 30, adjustably mounted upon the spring-pressed adjustabledriven shaft 19. rIhe revolution of this shaft is transmitted to therear drivin g-Wheels 7 7 by the sprocket-chains 9 9. The speed of thevehicle depends upon the point of contact of the friction-Wheel 30 withthe face 17 of the friction-disk 16, the speed being greatest near theperiphery and gradually decreasing as the friction-Wheel is moved towardthe recessed center. When this point is reached and the friction-wheelpasses out of contact with the friction-disk, the engine ceases toimpart motion to the driving-wheels. On

' movin g the friction-wheel across the recessed center and in contactwith the opposite side of the friction-disk the motion of the driving-Wheels is reversed, causing the vehicle to move backward. The travel ofthe frictionwheel across the recessed centerin the opposite directionand in Contact with the opposite side of the friction-disk causes thevehicle to again move forward. The operator, seated in front, grasps thehand-crank 39 with the right hand and the hand-wheel 5U with the left,and placing his foot uponthe spring-pin 5S has the motor-vehicle undercomplete control. If he wishes to vary the speed or reverse thedirection of travel, he first presses in the hand-lever 43, whichreleases the spring-pressed pin 42 and permits him to turn thecrank-handle 39 as far as desired in eitherdirection, and by releasingthe pressure upon the hand-lever 43 the friction- Wheel 30is held in itsposition upon the driven shaft 19 and a uniform speed is therebymaintained. lf he Wishes to change the direction of the vehicle, he hasonly to press his foot upon the spring-pin 58, which unlocks thesteering apparatusand permits him to turn the hand-Wheel 56 the desireddistance in either direction, and by removing the pressure upon thespring-pin 58 the steering apparatus is again locked and the directionof the vehicle thereby held. As the fifth- Wheel is turned in eitherdirection to change the course of the vehicle it is turned against theaction of one of the springs G3, and when the steering apparatus isunlocked to return to a straightaway course the spring under strainassists in restoring and keeping the steering apparatus in the normalstraightaway position.

I claiml. In a motor-vehicle, the combination with the framework, anengine mounted thereon, a shaft parallel With the side beams of theframe and driven by the engine, and a disk secured to the front end ofsaid shaft; of collars surrounding the side bars of the frame in frontof the disk, posts pivoted vertically to the upper sides of the collars,bearings at the upper ends of said posts, a second shaft journaled inthe bearings at right angles to the first shaft, a friction-wheelconnected t0 said second shaft, means for adj ustably holding thefriction-wheel in contact with the disk, and connections between thesecond shaft and the wheels of the vehicle for propelling the same, asand for the purpose set forth.

2. In a motor-vehicle, the combination with the framework, an enginemounted thereon,4

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a shaft parallel with the side beams of the frame and driven by theengine, and a disk secured to the front end of said shaft; of collarssurrounding the side bars of the frame in front of the disks, bearingspivoted to the collars, a second shaft journaled in the bearings atright angles to the first shaft, a friction-wheel feathered on saidsecond shaft, means for adjusting the frictional contact of the disk andwheel, a rack, arms projecting rearwardly therefrom and surrounding thedriven shaft on either side of the frictionwheel and in close proximitythereto, a gearwheel meshing with the rack, and connections between thesecond shaft and the wheels of the vehicle for propelling the same,substantially as described.

3. In a motor-vehicle, the combination with a framework, an enginemounted thereon, a shaft driven by the engine, and a disk secured tosaid shaft, posts pivoted to the side bars of the framework in front ofthe disk, bearings at the upper ends of said posts, a shaft journaled insaid bearings at right angles to the first shaft, and a friction-wheelfeathered on said shaft; of a second set of posts rigidly secured to theside bars of the framework and having bearings in their free ends, a rodresting in said bearings one end of which is provided with a head and isconnected to the pivoted posts, the other end being threaded, and athumb-nut on the screw end whereby the friction-wheel is adjustably heldin contact with the disk, as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a motor-vehicle, the combination with the framework, an enginemounted thereon, a shaft driven by the engine, a disk rigidly secured tosaid shaft, posts pivoted to the framework, bearings in said posts, asecond shaft journaled in said bearings, a friction-wheel feathered onthe shaft at right angles to the disk, and a second set of posts rigidlysecured to the framework an d provided with bearings of rods resting insaid bearings and passing through the pivoted posts and extending forsome distance beyond the same, heads securedl to one end of the rods,coil-springs surrounding said rods one end of which rests against thehead and the other against the pivoted posts, and a thumb-nut on thefree ends of the rods whereby the friction-wheel is adjustably held incontact with the disk, as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In an apparatus for propelling vehicles, the combination with theframework, an engine mounted thereon, a shaft driven by the engine, adisk rigidly secured to the shaft, a second shaft journaled on theframework, a friction-wheel feathered on the second shaft at rightangles tothe disk, a rack connected to said friction-wheel, andconnections between said second shaft and the rear wheels of the vehicleof a vertical axle passing through the floor of the vehicle and havingone of its ends j ournaled in a bearing on the framework beneath thefloor and a crank at its upper end, a segmental gear secured to saidaxle near its lower end and in contact with the rack, a ratchet-wheelsecured to said axle just beneath the fioor, a spring-pressed pinpassing through the floor and in contact with the ratchet-wheel, abell-crank lever secured to said axle above the pin, and connectionsbetween the pin and crank-handle for raising the pin and locking thefriction-wheel in position, as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In a motor-vehicle a device for turning the front guiding wheelsconsisting of a toothed fifth-wheel, a gear-wheel carried on an axleextending above the fioor. of the vehicle and provided with means forturning the same, anv intermediate gear-wheel intermeshing with the postgear-wheel and the toothed fifth-wheel and elastic connections betweentwo opposite side edges of the toothed fifth-wheel and correspondingopposite side edges of either of the gear-wheels all combined andoperating as and for the purpose stated.

7. In a motor-vehicle a device for turning the front guiding wheelsconsisting of a toothed fifth-wheel, a gear-wheel carried on an axleextending above the floor of the vehicle and provided with means forturning and locking and unlocking the same, an intermediate gear-wheelintermeshing with the first gear-wheel and the toothed fifth-wheel andelastic connections between two opposite side edges of the toothedfth-wheel and corresponding opposite side edges of either of' thegear-wheels all combined and operating as and for the purpose stated.

8. In a motor-vehicle, a device for turning the front guiding wheelsconsisting of a toothed fifth-wheel, a gear-wheel carried on an axleextending above the floor of the vehicle and provided with means forturning the same, an intermediate gear-wheel intermeshing with the firstwheel and the toothed wheel, and elastic connections between twoopposite side edges of the toothed fifth-wheel and correspondingopposite side edges of either of the gear-wheels, and a spring-pressedpin passing through the door of the vehicle and in contact with thefirstgearwheel for locking and unlocking the same, as and for thepurpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

' HENRY R. BIRD.

Witnesses:

W. T. MILLER, F. P. KERs'rEN.

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